Lifestyle FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015

ChocQuibTown arrives for the 2015 Latin Recording performs on stage. Dionne Warwick performs on stage. Academy Person of the Year gala. — AP photos world honors Brazilian ballad king Carlos

he Latin music world turned out Wednesday to celebrate teamed up for “La Distancia” (“The Distance”). “I’ll never in my life Roberto Carlos, the Brazilian ballad singer who is one of the forget this,” Carlos told the 1,300-person crowd as he accepted Tregion’s most successful artists. The 74-year-old nicknamed the Person of the Year award. the “King of Latin Music” was named Person of the Year at the Carlos offered thanks with a performance in Portuguese of Latin Grammys, a day before the Spanish- and Portuguese-lan- “Emociones” (“Emotions”) and, in Spanish, his most famous song, guage music industry’s biggest award night. “I’m very moved. “Un Millon de Amigos” (“One Million Friends”), to which the audi- This is without doubt a very special moment in my life,” Carlos, ence clapped along. The Latin Grammys honored more music who sported an electric-blue sequined tie for the occasion in Las greats at the awards yesterday, with tributes to Cuban singer and Vegas, told AFP. guitarist Pablo Milanes, Spanish duo Ana Belen and Victor “I’m very proud of everything I’ve achieved,” he said, over- Manuel, and Argentine saxophonist Gato Barbieri. — AFP Maluma (left) and Leslie Grace perform on stage. come by emotion. Carlos’ career crossed ’s borders in the 1970s as he won a following for pop tunes, often ballads about love, that he sung in Spanish, English, French and Italian, along with his native Portuguese. He has sold more than 120 million records in Latin America, topping The Beatles and Elvis Presley in the region. Asked his secret at keeping fans for so many years, Carlos said with a sly smile: “I don’t know if there is one. And if there is, I have to find it out.” Dozens of artists joined in the celebration, many of them wearing the singer’s signature color white in his honor. The Spanish performer Miguel Bose, who was Person of the Year in 2013, said that Carlos has “for decades made the soundtrack for many hearts.” “He created a style and contributed greatly to it. He’s one of the greatest,” Bose told AFP. Colombian singer said that the Brazilian’s romantic songs “will never go out of style, because that’s how you talk about women and love.” Spanish songwriting giant Alejandro Sanz paid tribute with a powerful guitar version of “Lady Laura,” and rising stars Leslie Grace and Maluma performed “Jesus Christo,” one of the songs in which Carlos reflected on his Catholic faith. Bachata music sensa- tion Roberto Santos played “Un Gato en la Oscuridad” (“A Cat in Mario Domm and Pablo Hurtado of Camila and Paula performs on stage. the Dark”), while fellow Brazilians Ana Carolina and Fernandes perform on stage.

Brazilian singer and composer Roberto Carlos performs on Malu (left) and Melendi perform on stage. Jesse & Joy perform on stage. stage.